


Of All The Times

by Nicowafer



Category: Tintin - All Media Types
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Male Slash, Older Man/Younger Man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-16
Updated: 2013-01-16
Packaged: 2017-11-25 17:00:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/641126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicowafer/pseuds/Nicowafer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haddock says something mid fight that changes everything...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of All The Times

A battalion of men had descended on them, killing their guide and wounding the captain, who responded with a well-placed curse on the souls of the men who did it. It wasn't a bad injury, thank goodness; a clean stab wound through the shoulder but there was no time to worry about it at the moment. No, the pair had much more important things to worry about, such as the fact they had no bullets for their guns and were now fighting men with sharp swords.

Oh yes, they fought. Tooth and nail, Tintin, for all his level headedness, would not allow the captain's injury to go unpunished! He swung a rifle butt into the face of one of their assailants, surprising the handful of men who attacked them so brusquely. The captain was not balking from the fight either, his empty rifle was the perfect weapon and he wielded it as well as the descendant of Sir Francis Haddock should.

“Should really take care of that shoulder, captain. I'm sure I can hold off this horde!” For the moment any way, Tintin sent a punch to the jaw of an approaching cad, the men fighting with anything they had in such close quarters.

“Blue blistering barnacles, boy! I'll repair the wound when these scoundrels are foiled.” The captain was spouting off colorful language at the fiends as his heavy fist flew into the face of another assailant He wasn't about to let Tintin fight these men alone. “Blaggard! Besides you need me here.” For emphasis, the butt of Haddock's rifle whizzed past Tintin, barely missing his head, square into the eyes of an approaching mongrel.

“I suppose I do need you, captain.” Tintin laughed and sent a kick into the ribs of a man approaching the captain from behind. “But you need me as well.” The boy said cockily before slamming another of the band with his rifle. For a moment Haddock was struck with an odd fluttering sensation in his chest, a feeling that hadn't occurred in many years, even in the danger of the situation, the utter hopelessness of it as they bashed their way through this band of miscreants who just didn't seem to stay down long enough. It was a feeling that had often occurred to the captain when Tintin was around but it had grown especially strong now and it sat in his chest, seemingly forcing its way out of his throat.

“I'm in love with you.” Tintin stopped dead for a moment, narrowly missing getting clobbered in the head by a rapscallion, plowing the miscreant with ease once he regained his momentum.

“What?” Tintin shouted over the roar of the men as they tried for a final assault on the pair, the noise making Tintin believe he had misheard the captain.

“I'm in love with you. Always have. Just thought you should know.”

“CAPTAIN.” Tintin's rifle rapped one of the bastards aside with ease, the boy still stunned at the older man's confession. “Do you really think this the time?”

“What better time, lad!” Haddock laughed, the pain in his shoulder becoming more acute as his adrenaline wore off and the crowd they had been fighting started to slink away or were passed out on the ground.

The final man was lifted off the ground with a well-placed upper cut but the captain that sprawled him on the ground.

“But now? OF ALL TIMES.” Tintin was not one to get angry, but the captain did have that effect on him.

“Best tell me, lad, what you think, I'm bleeding out an awful lot.” The captain took a shuddering breath, falling to his knees, holding his shoulder. The exertion had been a bit too much for him and with his shoulder in its current state he had little choice but to take an involuntary rest.

“Captain!” Tintin rushed to his side. “There will be plenty of time for that...someone will be along soon...” Of course they were in the middle of nowhere and no one knew where they were, still, Tintin held out hope.

“Sweet, precious, Tintin.” The captain spoke, half delirious with pain. “Always makes me feel better to know you keep the faith for both of us.” 

“Don't start that talk, captain, please.” The young man fell to his knees to hold to captain in place, lest he fall forward and into the dirt never to get up again. Now that the fog of adrenaline induced euphoria was wearing the captain felt a stinging in his eyes, embarrassment clung to his heart, he'd said something to the boy he was sure he regretted now. Not the feeling, the feeling was something that he had held inside for a long time, telling the lad that was what he regretted.

“I shouldn't have said anything...” He mumbled as his head dipped a bit causing his haggard breath to brush against Tintin's cheek.

“Come now, captain. Of course you should have said it...” Tintin knew that the feeling had been lurking between them for some time, but admitting it required bravery; bravery Tintin found in short supply. 

“Oh? Why...?” Why should it matter how it was said. It was said now, out in the open and Haddock couldn't...no, he wouldn't, take it back.

“Truth be told, my dear captain, I find I am in love with you. I have been for some time. So you see, you can't simply say that and then nod off on me. We have so many things to discuss...so many more adventures.” Haddock closed his eyes, happily. Hearing those words from the boy was like music, sweet lulling music, but he couldn't give up now, despite the pain and the ache in his head that told him he should just close his eyes and sleep; no, now he would have to stay awake, fight a good fight, all for the love a ginger tufted rascal who loved him in return.


End file.
